Max Tardiff lives outside of Keene, where he’s trying to get back on his feet with his kid, after a recent divorce. But it’s been hard, and money is tight. Tardiff makes too much money to qualify for food stamps, and he’s also struggling to find an apartment closer to his job that he can afford.
He’s been using food pantries since the early 2000s, when his eldest kid was born. He says having to ask for help, period, carries a lot of shame and vulnerability. But it’s even harder, he says, as someone who is visibly queer.
Tardiff wears rainbow pins and badges that say he’s gay, and he says his unique style can make him stand out. He doesn’t always know how people at different food pantries will respond, or if the volunteers will protect his personal information.
“I work for an agency that I have to keep people's information private. There's not that same level of privacy,” Tardiff said. “So everybody's business can be all over the place. It's another thing that will keep people from going and asking for help.”
Research from the University of New Hampshire suggests Tardiff’s experience is familiar to many LGBTQ+ people throughout the state — and New England overall.
A study published last year found that LGBTQ+ people in the region face higher levels of food insecurity than the population at large. Researchers asked whether people experienced food insecurity within the last week, and found that was the case for 13% of lesbian, gay and bisexual New Englanders which is nearly twice as high as New Englanders who don’t identify as LGBTQ+. The disparity was even more pronounced for transgender people and, in particular, trans people of color: One in three Black transgender New Englanders reported that they did not have enough food to eat within the past seven days, according to the study.
The researchers also noted that, for many, stigma can stand in the way of getting help from food pantries or other organizations offering assistance.
“There is a common perception New England is more progressive, more hospitable to trans and queer people,” said Isaac Leslie, who was part of the research team. “But this study should serve as a rude awakening to us in New England that that is a misconception and we are failing to feed trans and queer and POC New Englanders.”
Anxieties can supersede getting help
Last year’s study was significant, Leslie said, because it was the first time where multiple studies were able to be conducted in order to deeper look at food insecurity among LGBTQ+ people in New England. That’s in part because of policies that allowed more robust demographic data to be captured. Leslie and his team pulled from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey — which added measures of gender identity and sexuality for the first time in 2021.
What they found is that many LGBTQ+ people are feeling the effects of discrimination in housing, jobs and medical care. When compounded, it can impact their earning potential and financial stability, which of course affects their ability to afford food.
Leslie also noted that people can face barriers to getting help. For example, a lot of food pantries are run out of churches, which haven’t always been welcoming to LGBTQ+ people, and that can make it harder for people in those communities to feel safe asking for help. One person, who did not want to be named, noted that one local church that operates a food pantry has also posted messages on social media criticizing LGBTQ+ people as recently as 2023.
“A lot of the anxiety of approaching these places supersedes the relief of the resource you’re trying to get to begin with."Nova Scruggs
In Manchester, Nova Scruggs helps to run a mutual aid fund serving trans and queer people who are facing housing insecurity or in need of emergency cash. She hears from a lot of people who struggle to afford food, and it’s something she also experiences firsthand.
Scruggs said she makes a point of not seeking help from the fund, to avoid any conflicts of interest. But when she’s sought help from Manchester area food pantries in the past she says she’s had some people scoff, be outright rude or question things about her identity as a transwoman.
“A lot of the anxiety of approaching these places supersedes the relief of the resource you’re trying to get to begin with,” Scruggs said.
For example, Scruggs said it can be stressful if a food pantry asks for things like a photo ID, which can be a problem for people whose license no longer matches their name and gender. Some food pantries don’t ask people what pronouns they use and might assume the wrong one, or, Scruggs said, they might continue to use the wrong pronouns even after being corrected. Scruggs said she also often wonders how protected certain personal information is by the volunteers working at local pantries.
Reducing stressors
Those working to address food insecurity in New Hampshire say they’re trying to make sure people know what help is available. And some service providers are taking steps to make the experience of approaching a food pantry less daunting.
Laura Milliken, with New Hampshire Hunger Solutions, said she was concerned by reports that some LGBTQ+ Granite Staters feel unwelcome or uncomfortable seeking help. She said her organization is always looking for ways to improve food equity.
“That is really too bad to hear,” Milliken said. “We would be very interested in partnering with direct service providers to think about best practices and how we use inclusive language.”
New Hampshire Hunger Solutions has been working to address broader gaps in the state’s food security efforts. For example, she noted that roughly one-third of those who are eligible for the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps, are enrolled. She said this could be partially due to lack of awareness, since the state didn’t have a SNAP benefit outreach program until 2022.
Milliken’s organization has been working to raise awareness about SNAP eligibility in New Hampshire, including the fact that the state expanded benefits to 200% of the federal poverty rate — making more people eligible for the program. She said for people who are eligible, participating in SNAP could be a good option for people who are hesitant to approach food pantries or other providers.
“I understand that the application process and having to talk to the state can be a barrier,” Milliken said. “SNAP provides you with benefits on an EBT card that you get every month, and you can spend them in ways that are culturally and dietarily, health-wise, appropriate for you. So that's what makes SNAP much easier than having to go to charitable food providers.”
'We would be very interested in partnering with direct service providers to think about best practices and how we use inclusive language.'Laura Milliken, NH Hunger Solutions
But some of those community providers are taking steps to be more inclusive, too. In Keene, Tardiff said he’s been grateful to connect with one organization that is more welcoming that other spaces where he’s sought help in the past: the Keene Community Kitchen. He said they’ve been open to feedback on how to make things more accessible, and he doesn’t worry about his sexual orientation being an issue when gathering food.
Keene Community Kitchen’s executive director, Sarah Harpster, said they try to do several things to alleviate stress on those seeking help.
For one, they give people the choice of how they want to receive their food: pre-bagged items for quick pick-up, or browsing shelves for specific ingredients. Harpster said that can give people more of a sense of agency.
Harpster also knows that pantries’ hours of operation can be an inconvenience. Unlike a grocery store that might be open consistently throughout the day, these organizations are often working with more limited staff — and their schedules don’t always line up with when people have transportation, time and funds to shop.
Transportation is another barrier for a lot of people, so the Keene Community Kitchen is also trying to work with smaller towns and pantries to deliver food to people. This can also eliminate some of the stigma people might encounter when coming in person.
But there’s another piece of the puzzle that people experiencing food insecurity say is important: representation. Several people who work at Keene Community Kitchen identify as LGBTQ+, including Harpster. As an organization, they state publicly that they value diversity, equity and inclusion.
Harpster said it’s important for any organization that’s trying to offer these kinds of resources to make an effort to engage with people from lots of different backgrounds, instead of assuming that what works for one group of people works in all cases.
“We know that food insecurity is not on them, they’re facing a lot of daily challenges in their lives,” Harpster said. “We’re just here to make those challenges a little bit easier and help them stretch their family budget by not having to purchase all the food they need in their household.”
